‘Star Trek’ Actor Anton Yelchin Dies in Tragic Accident at the Age of 27

Anton Yelchin, the young actor best known for recent roles in the Star Trek franchise and acclaimed indie thriller Green Room has tragically passed away at the age of 27. Yelchin’s death was originally discovered early Sunday morning and initially reported by TMZ. Several outlets are confirming this terrible news, which comes just one month ahead of the release of Star Trek Beyond, in which he reprises the role of Chekov.

TMZ has the story on Yelchin’s untimely passing, and the details are disquieting, to say the least. The actor’s death was the result of a bizarre accident involving his car in the driveway of his own home in the San Fernando Valley. Yelchin’s friends discovered the actor in the early morning hours on Sunday, June 19.

It is a horrifically tragic story, and one that doesn’t seem to make much sense. Mostly, we mourn the loss of a young and sometimes underrated actor who had shared his talents with us throughout what now feels like an unfairly short career.

Yelchin’s career began in 2000 with a guest spot on ER and supporting roles in Along Came a Spider and Hearts in Atlantis. The actor broke out with his fiercely heartbreaking role in Alpha Dog opposite Justin Timberlake and Ben Foster. In addition to playing Chekov in three Star Trek films — including Justin Lin’s forthcoming sequel — Yelchin is also well-known for roles in the Fright Night remake, Terminator Salvation and Green Room.

The actor appears next in Star Trek Beyond, which hits theaters on July 22. He also recently signed on to star opposite Brendan Gleeson in a limited series adaptation of Stephen King’s Mr. Mercedes, and was set to lend his voice to Guillermo del Toro’s Trollhunters series for Netflix.